2023 Russian Nationals Day 4 Recap

86 KG

2023 86 KG Russian Nationals Final Results

GOLD: #4 Arslan Bagaev over Amanulla Gadzhimagomedov 12-7

BRONZE: #1 Artur Naifonov over Khaibula Gulmagomedov 8-0

BRONZE: Ada Bagomedov over Magomedmurad Dadaev 3-1

Yarygin champion #4 Arslan Bagaev was able to stop the momentum of Amanulla Gadzhimagomedov to capture his first Russian National title. Bagaev’s title is also his first medal at the Senior Russian National Championships and Amanulla Gadzhimagomedov’s second career medal to go along with his bronze at 79 kilograms in 2020. Top ranked Artur Naifonov rebounded from his lopsided semifinal loss to Amanulla Gadzhimagomedov to take bronze over Khaibula Gulmagomedov. Ada Bagomedov earned his second Russian Nationals bronze medal by way of a 3-1 decision over Magomedmurad Dadaev. Bagomedov’s first medal at Russian Nationals was last year when he placed bronze at nationals and the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Memorial. Notable athletes to fail to place this year at Russian Nationals were returning two-time 79 kilogram champion #3 Malik Shavaev and four-time Russian Nationals bronze medalist #6 Arsenali Musalaliev.

92 KG

2023 92 KG Russian Nationals Final Results

GOLD: #2 Vladislav Valiev over #9 Tazhudin Mukhtarov 3-2

BRONZE: #1 Alan Bagaev over Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov 4-0

BRONZE: #3 Ashkab Saadulaev over Ivan Kirillov 6-3

In the finals, Yarygin runner-up #2 Vladislav Valiev was able to capture his second Russian Nationals title in a closely fought match against #9 Tazhudin Mukhtarov. Valiev’s title at 92 KG goes along with his gold earned in 2017 at 86 KG and brings his medal total at Russian Nationals up to six (bronze in ‘16,’18,’22; silver in ‘19; gold in ‘17, ‘23). Tazhudin Mukhtarov’s silver medal at Russian Nationals was his first career medal at the tournament after finishing fifth twice in 2015 and 2021.

#1 Alan Bagaev rebounded from his quarterfinal loss to #9 Tazhudin Mukhtarov to win his first Russian Nationals medal over 2022 U23 and Junior Russian Nationals champion Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov. Malachdibirov, who took bronze at the 2021 80 KG Cadet World Championships, finishes his first Senior Russian Nationals with a strong fifth place finish and will be a top five ranked athlete in Russia in next month’s rankings. I am interested to see how Russia uses Malachdibirov who has both Junior and U23 eligibility available now that they are allowed to return to competition, as Malachdibirov has the potential to dominate in both divisions. Yarygin champion #3 Ashkab Saadulaev finishes off the Russian season with his first Russian Nationals medal by taking bronze. Since December, Saadulaev has completely transformed his career: taking gold at the 2022 Umakhanov Tournament, bronze at the 2023 Yarygin and notching wins over the likes of #1 Alan Bagaev, #4 Azamat Zakuev, #9 Tazhudin Mukhtarov, and #5 Guram Chertkoev. 

79 KG

#1 Akhmed Usmanov made his third Russian Nationals finals with a victory over Aripgadzhi Abdulaev. Facing Usmanov in the finals will be Yarygin champion #2 Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev in a rematch of their 2020 Russian Nationals finals match won by Usmanov. Alikhmaev was able to make the finals by way of a Kasum Kasumov. 79 kilograms was a weight marked with significant upsets, the most significant coming in the round of 16 as returning national runner-up #4 Magomed Magomaev was upset by Kasum Kasumov in a 7-7 match. Two notable upsets came during the run of Abdulkerim Abdulaev, who upset 2019 Senior World bronze medalist Gadzhi Nabiev in the round of 16 and then upset three-time Russian Nationals bronze medalist #8 Nikita Suchkov in the quarterfinals. The final upset of the tournament came from a match between 2019 Russian Nationals bronze medalists #5 Kakhaber Khubezhty and Khalid Yakhiev, won by Yakhiev with a 10-0 tech fall. Yakhiev lost in the round of 16 to eventual finalist #1 Akhmed Usmanov and will have a chance to wrestle for his second career Russian Nationals medal tomorrow. 

97 KG

Returning two-time 92 kilogram national champion #2 Magomed Kurbanov will take on 2021 97 KG national champion #3 Alikhan Zhabrailov in the 97 kilogram Russian Nationals finals. Kurbanov made his fourth Russian National finals by way of a semifinal victory over #6 Sergey Kozyrev and Zhabrailov beat #5 Shamil Musaev. Currently, the series between the Kurbanov and Zhabrailov sits in favor of Kurbanov 5-3 with Zhabrailov taking victories in both of their Russian National finals matches in 2019 and 2020. There was a minor upset in the qualification round as Irbeg Tavgazov beat 2021 Umakhanov Tournament runner-up Ali Aliyev 4-3. Tavgazov was eliminated from the competition after a round of 16 loss to 2020 Russian Nationals bronze medalist Aslanbek Gazzaev. 

125 KG

#8 Abdulla Kurbanov was the story of the tournament as he knocked off the number one and two ranked wrestlers in Russia make the Russian National finals. In the round of 32, Kurbanov knocked off returning national champion #1 Alen Khubulov 8-5 and continued his tear through the bracket into the semifinals where he took out 2021 Senior World rep #2 Zelimkhan Khizriev to make the finals and avenge his loss from May at the Ali Aliev. Facing Kurbanov in the finals will be returning bronze medalist #5 Eric Dzhioev who made the finals off victories over Umar Isarilov, Soslan Khinchagov, Saidmagomed Gairbekov, and #4 Ostap Pasenok. 

As is the case with heavyweight, the bracket was defined by upsets. The round of 32 saw multiple upsets in the for of #8 Abdulla Kurbanov over #1 Alen Khubulov, #9 Khasan Khubaev over 2021 national runner-up Atsamaz Tebloev, Shota Kortiev over 2022 national runner-up Tamerlan Rasuev, and Soslan Khinchagov over #6 Anzor Khizriev. The round of 16 saw 2020 national runner-up Shamil Sharipov notch his first ranked win in over two years by beating #10 Artem Pukhovsky while Said Gairbekov upset #9 Khasan Khubaev. The quarterfinals saw #2 Zelimkhan Khizriev beat 2020 national runner-up Shamil Sharipov 4-1 and the semifinals would see upsets from #8 Abdulla Kurbanov over #2 Zelimkhan Khizriev and #5 Eric Dzhioev over #4 Ostap Pasenok. 

Past Russian Nationals medalists who failed to place this year are 2021 national runner-up Atsamaz Tebloev, 2020 national runner-up Shamil Sharipov, 2022 national runner-up Tamerlan Rasuev, two-time national champion #6 Anzor Khizriev, 2021 97 KG national bronze medalist #7 Znaur Kotsiev, and 2019 bronze medalist Pavel Krivtsov.